A Beautiful Lie
by PunkWolfIncarnate
Summary: When Naruto finally brought the Uchiha home, it wasn't Sasuke who returned less than whole. "It’s your fault, Sasuke. You can’t save anybody. Not me. Not you parents. Whose next anyway?" Hints Pre-SasuNaruSasu.


_**A big sorry to all of my LJ buddies who have probebly seen this before. But to everyone else, long time no see! This is my first Naruto fanfiction posted to FFnet, but not my first fic for this fanfom overall. I've actually written A LOT for Naruto, but the biggest stuff (a multichapter) hasn't been posted yet, cuz I would like to get farther along before I begin sharing it. So, yeah. That's it, I think.**_

**_Oh, and this forgets about anything canon since Chapter 364._**

_Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm over it._

**_And as always, thank you to Empy-chan for her beta'ing skillz. You is my one and only, Kateh._**

_**This fic was written for the 30Ballads Comm at LiveJournal. Prompt: A Beautiful Lie, by 30 Seconds to Mars.**_

* * *

**A Beautiful Lie**

_by PunkWolf_

It was like tearing the rug out from under everyone in Konoha.

Even the citizens who had lived the last decade and a half hating Uzumaki Naruto and what he carried felt the unmistakable prang of loss when he brought the Uchiha home at long last.

Uchiha Sasuke. He was supposed to be withdrawn. Broken beyond repair. Forever stained by his past and the memories he would harbor forever. Torn up about his brother's demise- all these things, and yet he was none. It wasn't Sasuke who had returned less than whole.

"Naruto?" Tsunade gently prodded his side where numerous ribs were still in the process of healing. "Naruto... please say something... please..."

But he wouldn't speak. He was awake. He was breathing. And yet so much was missing from the room when he failed to respond to even his closest companions. Staring of into empty space, eyes far away. Sakura, Hinata, Kakashi, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee, Kiba and many more filed through his hospital room regularly, but no others dared visit him.

They feared his shadow. The Uchiha had not left his side.

Not that it mattered. Naruto wouldn't even blink at him. Not even his honed Sharingan could penetrate the wall separating Naruto's mind from the outside world. Sasuke wouldn't leave, no matter how sweetly Sakura begged, or how menacing Tsunade became. His vigil remained constant, and only Iruka's presence rivaled his own in its tangible anxiety. The worst part was, the defective teen couldn't figure out _why _Naruto wouldn't respond. What had he missed?

He refused to believe he was to blame.

He heard the door creak open behind him and the soft chakra signature of Iruka enter the room.

"I brought you something to eat." The chuunin whispered, as if speaking too loud would shatter Naruto's prone form even more.

Sasuke ignored the offer. "Why isn't he healing?"

Iruka took the brush off in stride. "I don't think they don't know." A seat was pulled up next to Sasuke as they sat together at his bedside. "Not that they've told anyone anything."

_They. _Sai. Yamato. Kakashi. The only three who'd seen what happened within that room. The room that had seen Naruto enter charged and alive, and leave hollow and dead. Only those three knew of the secret, and they refused to speak of it to anybody but the Hokage.

Sasuke remembered, halfway through his fight with Itachi, the cave-hideout trembling ominously, followed by Kakashi and Yamato fleeing the scene toward the door Naruto had disappeared through. And Sasuke knew, that somehow, whatever had shaken the base was what had shut Naruto away from reality.

Because Itachi had smirked. He had smirked, and he had _known _something.

"What did they want with Naruto?"

Iruka glanced at him. "I'm just an academy instructor, so I'm not aware of the details, but I'd guess it had something to do with the Kyuubi. And I know you're aware of that little detail by now."

Sasuke nodded. He was about to ask more when a third voice spoke.

"It's always about the Kyuubi when it come to Naruto." Kakashi had arrived.

As Kakashi approached the bedside, Iruka turned to him. "Back again?"

Kakashi nodded solemnly but continued with his explaination. "They were extracting the demons from their carriers."

Iruka looked startled. "Pardon?"

"They started with the one-tailed demon- Shukaku."

"Gaara." Sasuke muttered.

The jounin nodded again. "He was captured nearly eight months ago and his demon was ripped from him. Next was the two-tails. Then three..."

"Until they reached nine." Iruka whispered, understanding the gruesome picture Kakashi was illustrating.

"Wouldn't that kill them?" Sasuke asked.

"It did." The masked-nin replied.

"But Gaara-"

"Gaara died that day, Sasuke. But he was saved. Thanks to a Sand Village elder's belated kindness and Naruto's limitless chakra." Kakashi smiled under his mask. "There are many people who owe Naruto many things. And yet they refuse to acknowledge just how much he has done for them."

That was a vicious jibe if Sasuke'd ever heard one.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "What have you been thinking about?"

"Nothing." Sasuke answered truthfully.

"Then you still aren't ready." Kakashi drawled as he turned and left the room without another word.

--

Sasuke refused to believe Itachi'd managed to remove the Kyuubi. Surely life wasn't so cruel as to take away everything he'd ever known of happiness. And yet Kakashi's words rang within his mind long into the sleepless night. And so, he let his mind wander to places he'd refused to acknowledge. It had to be safe now, right?

As his past flashed before his eyes, Sasuke was sure- it was supposed to be him upon that hospital bed, trapped in a nightmare worse than any genjutsu the Sharingan could conjure. Who knew where Naruto's mind was...

The Valley of the End, reliving the horrific battle of their youth, watching Sasuke's own hand pierce an orange clad chest over and over and over again?

The Land of Waves, watching Sasuke die in his arms?

Or somewhere Sasuke had never been. Slowly shedding his innocence and realizing that life wasn't the game Naruto wanted to believe it was.

But Sasuke _couldn't know_. He couldn't know. He couldn't understand. He couldn't save Naruto. He couldn't _do anything_.

The door behind him squealed again as another sleepless visitor slipped in, and the room rang with the soft thud of it swinging closed once more.

The newcomer didn't speak. Just sat silently down in the chair Iruka had vacated.

But Sasuke didn't need sight nor sound to know Sakura had entered the room, focus riveted upon her crippled teammate.

They sat in the heavy silence until the soft glow of dawn lit the room in blue-grey hues. It was then she rose from her seat and left the room as quietly as she had come.

--

A month later, a procession of ANBU escorted them through the somber streets as they walked Naruto to his apartment. Naruto walked. And yet Naruto didn't see. Still staring blankly off at a scene none of them were allowed to witness.

When Naruto was settled in upon his couch, the ANBU left, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone with their vacant patient.

Niether of them had spoken.

And so, he mentally jumped out of his skin when her voice cut through the silence.

"It's time to forget about the past, Sasuke." Green eyes landed upon his imploringly. "I can't heal this, and he needs our help."

"You think I know what to do?" He hissed, glaring at her acutely.

She glared right back. "I expect you to have come to some conclusions." She snapped. Her dainty hand grabbed Naruto by the elbow and led him into the bedroom, where he was laid down upon the untouched sheets. Not that he ever closed his eyes in sleep. She returned and laid herself out upon the couch. "There's a futon in the closet." She murmured before drifting off.

Sasuke found the futon. He didn't use it.

He did, however, make use of the kitchen chair. His stakeout began once more.

--

"What are you doing?" Sasuke hissed, staring into the empty face laying upon the tattered old bed. "Why won't you just wake up?"

Sakura watched on sadly as Sasuke talked himself in circles. He'd long ago forgotten she was there.

She pitied the former golden child. She really did. He was paying for his actions dearly, and yet refused to open up and see what a farce this all was. Naruto was locked away somewhere where they couldn't reach, and it was likely he wasn't coming back.

Having a demon ripped out of you doesn't do much for your sanity.

And she couldn't help but blame Sasuke for it all. If it weren't for him, Naruto wouldn't have approached that base, and Itachi's trickery wouldn't have fooled his addled mind.

Sai had told her of the horrors he'd witnessed inflicted upon their blond friend, and she couldn't describe the ache she felt hearing his words. Wherever Naruto was now, he'd suffered to get there, and it was painful to know. Considering he never deserved such a fate.

--

They were eating stale ramen upon the floor of the bedroom when Kakashi showed up.

"Yo." He greeted from the windowsill over looking Naruto's bed.

"Morning, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura mumbled. To the untrained eye, one would say these last few months had well and truly desensitized her. Unfortunately, Sasuke had once had the pleasure of her close company, and knew how to read her as well as he did Naruto.

She was mourning.

Sasuke resented her for it. He'd known long ago she'd given up. She was a medic-nin, and Naruto was scarred with something she couldn't heal with chakra or herbs. In her mind, there was no going back.

Sasuke refused to believe this. After all, he'd tried to kill Naruto on numerous occasions, and the stupid dobe just wouldn't stay down. Why should the fucking Akatsuki have the pleasure of bringing about his death? The shouldn't. They didn't deserve it.

Then again, neither did Sasuke.

But Naruto was like a cockroach. He just didn't stay dead. It was an unwritten rule and everybody followed. Naruto. Would. Not. Die. The End.

"This is quite the reunion.' Kakashi observed as he took a seat next to them on the rug.

But it wasn't.

There was still one missing.

--

He sat on the bed this time. He didn't speak. Just watched. Reassured by Naruto's chest rising and falling beneath the sheets.

He had to be closer to Naruto. He had to, because he was feeling like he world was spinning out of control.

He wasn't supposed to be regretting it. Never. It had to happen. It was his duty. The one goal he'd been given, and he'd achieved it... the one thing he'd wanted in his life.

If so, than why was he wishing he could turn back time?

He wanted nothing more than more Naruto to wake up and they could leave. Runaway and take their painful pasts with them and leave it all behind somewhere. Perhaps return to Valley of the End and wash away all the bad things that had happened there, and live for the rest of their live not worrying about Villages or clans or battles or blood or pain. Just the two of them, pretending Sasuke had never made the biggest mistake of his life.

He just wanted to feel like he could breath again. But Naruto's silence continued to suffocate him. Never relenting. And he remained without peace.

--

"You're asking too many questions." He growled, turning away from the both of them.

"He's like this because of you!" Sakura roared. "You owe us, Sasuke. You owe HIM!"

"I owe you nothing."

"Sasuke," Kakashi sighed. "It's not that difficult to understand why we're interrogating you."

"I never said I cared for your reasons."

"Oooooh!" She fumed. "I cannot believe I ever saw anything in you other than an arrogant, self-absorbed bastard with a brother complex! Why couldn't I see it before? Why?!"

"It's no fault of mine that your judgment is so flawed. I never claimed to be anything I'm not."

"I hate you!" She shouted before locking herself in the bathroom. She did this once a day.

"Sasuke..." Kakashi whispered. "We only want to know why you're still here. You claim to not care and yet... here you are. It's rather confusing."

"I've never needed to explain myself to you."

Kakashi nodded. "I agree. But I'm only asking you to, not demanding you." He turned toward the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea."

Sasuke returned his gaze to the stony blonde. He was once again sitting on Naruto's bed, staring at the blond, dreaming of what they could have had if he'd done so many things differently. He couldn't help it. It was true. He'd give anything to...

The steady rhythm of Naruto's breathing was off.

He leaned in closer only for his eyes to widen in horror.

It was slowing.

He shifted on the bed, bringing himself even closer to the immobile body and leaned in so that their foreheads were nearly touching. Naruto's soft breathing fanned over his face and he was too panicked to cry out when the spaces between each breath drew out longer and longer each time.

No! His eyes widened in untainted fear. "No no no no no..." He whispered, leaning back and grabbing Naruto's wrists. "Shit, dobe you can't do this to me. I came back! I'm _back_! I'm sorry! What do you want me to fucking say?!"

Kakashi ambled in as Sasuke's voice grew continuously louder and Sakura peaked around the cracked bathroom door.

The missing-nin paid them no mind as he grew more and more frantic. "Don't you stop breathing, dobe or I swear I'll kill you myself!" Logic was apparently lost upon him as Naruto's eyes slid shut and didn't open again.

Sakura squeaked from her hiding spot and rushed out into the room. "Naruto! No, Naruto! Please!" She cried, pouring her chakra into him to restart his breathing.

Sasuke stood and stumbled back from the bed, rattling off ever curse word he knew until his back collided with Kakashi's chest. Two strong hands grasped his biceps and held him there. He felt Kakashi's breath on his ear as Sakura worked over Naruto's dying body.

"No matter what she does, he's not coming back. He's as good as dead, lead straight into your brother's arms and ripped apart piece by piece. He's been unraveling... ever since they pulled Kyuubi out of him through every pore in his body."

Kakashi's familiar drawl was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice, though Sasuke vaguly recognized the figure materializing before them as that Sai-prick. "He screamed, Sasuke. He screamed. And where were you? Avenging a family who will never be alive to thank you."

Tsunade's voice drifted towards him from somewhere behind, but Kakashi's grip refused to let him turn and see. "You'll never be able to make them breathe again Sasuke, they're dead and it's Itachi's fault. But Naruto had a chance, _you_ hand a chance..."

And suddenly. he was staring into Sharingan eyes that matched his own and Itachi's voice joined the rest. "But Naruto will never breathe again, little brother, and this time you're the one to blame. What will you do, Sasuke? Who will you exact your vengeance upon this time? Toward whom will you aim your hatred?"

Sakura cried out in the background, willing breath into Naruto's unmoving lungs.

Then Sasuke blinked and the room was empty save him and the body before him. There was no color in their surroundings. Only Naruto's body glowed orange in the dismal picture.

And a voice he hadn't heard in over six months cut through the silence like an acid kunai.

"It's your fault, Sasuke. You can't save anybody. Not me. Not you parents. Whose next anyway? Will you let Sakura-chan die? Or maybe Kakashi-sensei?"

"Shut up!" He yelled to the voice that belonged to Naruto, but hadn't left Naruto frozen lips. It merely floated throughout the room and hung in the air like a fog.

"Why? So you can forget? Hide behind a lie, telling yourself that it was worth it? Was it, Sasuke? Was seeing Itachi's blood on your hands worth letting everybody die? Karin, Suigetsu, Juugo- they're dead- and it's because of you. Always because of you..."

--

Light suddenly flooded his vision and he hissed. What was this light and why was it attacking him?

"Sasuke-kun?" A feminine voice to his right squeaked. "Hokage-sama! He's waking up!"

Sasuke groaned. What the hell was going on?

Everything had gone dark. He blinked as the room came into focus and saw Sakura bustling about the room fiddling with machines beeping and buzzing along one wall.

"What...?" His throat was too dry to speak. But he needed to know. Had she restarted Naruto's heart? What had happened?

Suddenly, a glass of water was thrust into his face, at the other end of the arm was a grumpy looking Godaime. "'Bout time you woke up, brat." She sneered as he took the water and drank it greedily.

When his parched throat was sated, he looked directly into her honey colored gaze. "What happened? Is he... dead?"

Sakura looked worried, like if she answered the wrong way, he'd explode or something. "Er... no..."

He let out a breath that could only be interpreted as relief. Tsunade gave him a very odd look.

"Are you shitting me? I thought you _wanted _him dead. I mean, you've been trying for years, and..."

"What the hell made you think I wanted him dead?" Sasuke spat menacingly. "_I'm_ not the one who gave up on him!" He shot a venomous look at Sakura.

The Hokage placed a palm to his forehead. "Did he do some brain damage while he was at it? You were in some pretty rough shape but I didn't think it was that bad..."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke hissed, intensely disliking this confusion.

"Itachi." She answered, staring at him like he'd grown four more heads. "You know, the brother you were fighting before he thoroughly beat your ass into the ground?"

Sasuke stared at her. Unable to absorb this information. The blond woman turned as the door opened.

"Hey, Sakura-cha- _oh_! Look who finally decided to join us." Naruto snickered.

Sasuke's head snapped toward the door and he was out of bed not moment later. The room was filled with the sound of high pitched shrieking as the machines protested the sudden disconnection.

He faced Naruto in disbelief. A dream? It had been a fucking _dream_?

He wasted no time in punching Naruto in the face.

--

"I still don't get what that was for, you jerk." Naruto grumbled as he held an ice pack to his throbbing jaw.

"Hn." Sasuke scoffed as he settled down amongst his sheets, back in bed and reconnected to all the right doohickeys.

"I mean, I'm sorry you didn't kill Itachi and stuff, but if me and Sai hadn't found you out there, you'd be dead..."

"I don't care, dobe."

"What?! You're suicidal now, too?! Baa-chan! Baa-cha-" He began before Sasuke's hand muffled his voice.

"Shut up, baka." He growled. "That's not what I'm saying."

The hand was removed. "Then what do you mean?"

Sasuke looked almost sheepish. Almost. "I realized some things..." He muttered.

Naruto looked confused. "I don't get it."

"There are some things... more important than killing Itachi at the moment."

"Alright. Now I don't even think we have the real Sasuke. Who are you, _imposter_!?" The sad thing was, Naruto was totally serious.

Sasuke fought urge to bang his head against the wall. He swiftly grabbed Naruto by the shoulders before he could make any more noise. Looking directly into startled blue eyes, "I won't let him have you. No matter what it takes- He. Can't. Have. You."

Naruto stared back at him, albeit, more puzzled than determined. "Who can't have me?" He bristled indignantly. "And who said I'm a thing to be had, huh?"

"Shut up, dobe. I won't let them take you and that's final."

Naruto's features gradually faded into a look of comprehension. "Oh." He fidgeted. "I never planned on letting them have me anyway."

Sasuke let him go. "Good. But I've never been able to trust you with your own well being before now, and I don't think this would be a good time to start."

Naruto sat back down in his bedside chair. "I'm going to ignore that, asshole. But please do explain to me why, exactly, you don't want them to have me."

"Because I said so."

Naruto seemed to expand in his frustration. "That's no a reason, you asswipe!"

Tsunade smirked out in the hall, listening to them bicker. Next to her, Kakashi's eye curved into an arch with the force of his grin.

"I'm glad it worked." He said as they began to walk back down the corridor.

Tsunade's smirk cracked into a smile. "Mangekyou Sharingan sure has its uses."

**_It's over now. Stop reading._**


End file.
